Google+ is dead because of a security flaw the company couldn’t be bothered to fix

Google today revealed it’d be shutting down the consumer version of Google+ in response to a previously undisclosed security flaw — and also because no one’s really using it. Earlier today, the Wall Street Journal reported Google discovered the flaw, which exposed the data of thousands of users, earlier this year. It opted not to report it, “in part because of fears that doing so would draw regulatory scrutiny and cause reputational damage.” Within hours, Google published its own report. Ben Smith, Google’s VP of Engineering, disclosed more information about the security issue, and how it was discovered. An internal…